Netizens and former cricketers have expressed outrage over the airing of a private WhatsApp conversation between Pakistan’s captain, Babar Azam, and a senior official of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), deeming it a breach of privacy and an unethical act.
Reports circulating on social media gained credibility after former Pakistan captain Rashid Latif claimed that the PCB management was ignoring Babar Azam’s messages. He asserted on state broadcaster PTV Sports that Babar had been trying to contact PCB Management Committee Chairman Zaka Ashraf, Chief Operating Officer Salman Naseer, and Director of International Cricket Usman Wahla for the past two days, but received no response from any of them.
The controversy was also discussed on a private news channel where an alleged WhatsApp chat screenshot between the two was shown. The conversation implied that Babar Azam had not been making calls to the Chairman, contradicting earlier claims.
Former Pakistan cricketer Azhar Ali, who was a guest on the show, questioned the reporter about whether he had obtained Babar’s consent before leaking a private conversation. The reporter responded that, as a journalist, he didn’t need to seek consent.
This move received strong criticism from netizens, who condemned the TV channel management and the reporter for their “unethical” behavior.
The show’s anchor, Waseem Badami, subsequently issued an apology on behalf of his team and the TV management. He explained that the decision to air the alleged WhatsApp chat had been taken in haste just minutes before the show. They had initially decided against airing it but changed their decision after coming across a video clip of the PCB chief, which indicated permission to broadcast the chat. Badami admitted that it was a private discussion between two individuals and should not have been aired without consent.
He concluded by expressing regret and promising to learn from the incident, vowing not to make such a mistake again.
It was noted that the permission of the PCB chief was not relevant to the situation, as he was not one of the private individuals involved. An official statement from the PCB could provide clarity on the matter.
My humble thoughts on Babar Azam – Zaka Ashraf issue 🙏🙏🙏 pic.twitter.com/g7RwamSP54
— Waseem Badami (@WaseemBadami) October 29, 2023
